Hawley paeteick



( No 'Mode1.)

H. PARTRICK.

SURGIGAL SPLINT.

No. 336,740. Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAVVLEY PARTRICK, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO FRANK P. CLARK, OF SAME PLACE.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

SPECIE'ICATION fornzing part of Letters Patent No. 336.740, clated February 23, 1886.

Application filed Noveniler 4, 1885. Serial No. 181,812. (No model.)

To all whom it may conaern:

Be it known that I, HAwLEY PARTRICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danbury, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Splints; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of surgical splints which in use are softened, and while in a plastic condition are applied to that portion of the person which they are intended to 1 5 support, andwhich will quickly set and harden in any form which they may be caused to assume; and the object of my invention is to produce a splint of this general class which may be readily and thoroughly softened without dipping into boiling water, but which may be placed in boiling water without injuringit 'in the slightest,which will set and harden very quickly, and which, after hardening, will be stifer and harder than any splints of this 'class now in use.

It has heretofore been a serious objection to surgical splints as placed upon the market that they required to be dipped in boiling water to soften them. This is an'unpleasant operation, and is frequently exceedingly painful both to the operator and to the person operated upon.

In order to overcome the above-stated objections and to produce a surgical splint which shall be economical in cost and thoroughly acceptable both to the surgical profession and to wearers, I have devised the novel splint and method of making the same, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. p

Figure 1 is a perspective, and Fig. 2 is a plan,view of a splint of this class formed to the shape of a human arm, and adapted to hold the ulna and radius at a right angle to the humerus, it being understood, however, that the special portion of the body to which the splint may be formed has nothing whatever to do with my invention.

In manufacturing my improved splint I use 50 a good quality of fur instead of wool, or wool and fur, or wool and hair, as has heretofore been the practice.

My improved splints are stiffened bya special compound,which I have found after longcontinued experimentsto be especiallyadapted for this purpose. This compound consists, preferably, of eighty parts shellac, sixt-yparts resiu, and thirty parts gumthus, dissolved, preferably, in ammonia-water,although other solvents-as, for example, a saturated solution of borax (biborate of soda)-may be used, if preferred.

The method of manufacturing is'as follows: The felt is made by blowing the fur upon a cone in precisely the same manner that hatbodies are formed. It is then shrunk in the usual manner and dried, after which itis stiffened by dipping in the special stiffening compound described and wringing out, after which it is dried again. The next step in the process is to put the pieces of felt, after they have been stiffened and dried, in a hot-steam box for about three-quarters of an hour, the effect of which is to drive the stiffening from the surface into the felt, leaving the surface perfectly soft and smooth. The pieces of felt are then cut up into strips of suitable shape and size and are stretched over forms. The strips are of course made plastic for stretching by heating them, and are stretched over the forms while hot,` using either the hands or a tool for Vthe purpose of forming them.

It will of course be understood that the proportions stated of the stiffening compound may be varied within reasonable limits without departing from the spirit of my inveut-ion. I have merely given certain proportions which I have found desirable in use.

Having thus described my inventon, I claim- 1. As a new manufacture, a surgical felt splintadapted to be softened by heat alone and to Set and harden quickly, said splint being made of fur and stiffened by a solution of shellac, resin, and gum-thus.

2. As a new manufacture, a surgical splint made of fur and stiffeued by a compound of shellac, resin, and gum-thus, in substantially the proportions stated, dissolved in ammonia-' water. mo

3. The method of making surgical splints, which consists in forming, shrinking, and drying the felt in the nsual manner, then stiffening by dipping in a solution of sheilac, resin, and gnrn-thus, Wringing out and drying again, then snbjecting to the action of steam for snbstantially the time stated, and finaiiy Cutting into strips fol1 use.

4. The method of making surgieal splints, which consists in forming and shrnking the felt in the nsnal manner, then stiffening With acompound of shellac, resin, and gum-thus, in snbstantially the Vproportons stated, in solution, then sni'jecting to the action of steam, then cntting to strips of desired Shape and size. and finally forniing to the desired shape While in a plastic condition.

jecting to the action of steam to soften the out side, and finally Cutting into strips for use.

In tcstimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HAXVLEY PARTRICK..

Witnesses:

A. M. Woos'rER, C. E. RUGGLns. 

